Combined vanity or make-up case and support therefor



May 20, 1952 H. B. GREEN ETAL 2,597,473

COMBINED VANITY OR MAKE-UP CASE AND SUPPORT THEREFQR' Filed Aug. 14, 1950 2 rSIIEETS--Sl-IEEIT l lII 2 Horf/vsf 6mm and Sav/A (iA/NES f lg N4 INVENTORS.

BY TTR/V May 20, l952 H. B. GREEN rs1-A1. 2,597,473

COMBINED VANITY OR MAKE-UP CASE AND SUPPORT THEREF'OR 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Aug. 14, 1950 Suv/A 5. GAM/Es INVENTORS.

Hg -9- BY ma,

TTOR/VEY Patented May 20, 1952 UNITED... STA-res r Hortense'B. Green, WhitePlains, and Y' SylviafB. GainesLarchmont, N; AY.

Applicationv August 14, 195.0, .SerialNm 179,286

(Cli- '132--79 A) Glain1s.I 1.

This invention relates to vanityor make-up cases.. for carrying cosmetics and more particularly tov combined make-up. cases andsupports therefor which facilitatethe application of cosmetics.

Ladies-often find it diicult to apply cosmetics when they are traveling on foot. or in conveyances or are otherwise without accessto vanity tables' or other stable means of supporting the several articles used for make-up purposes. Whenv suchfacilities are lacking, it isdicultto hold a mirror in a proper position and at the same, time to supportthe various cosmetics so that they areA conveniently accessible and still keep a hand or hands free to apply the cosmetics.

Accordingly, an object oi?k the present invention is vto provide a make-up device supported from the users .body whichsupports the ,cosmetics in aposition accessible to her hands and holds. a mirror in a proper position for observance of the make-up operation sov as to4 free theusers hands for applying the cosmetics.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an easily portable vanity or make-up case for carrying cosmetics which may loe supported from the users body in a position for use and'V includes anY accessible shelf member, upon which the cosmetics may be placed, and a mirror for reilecting the users countenanceso that her hands are free to apply the cosmetics.

Another object is to provide an easily 'portable make-up case for carrying cosmetics which ncludes a supporting strap to extend aroundthe users neck for supporting the case in front, of the users bosom, a device extensible from, the case to space the latter forwardly from the users bosom in a position for use and defining an accessible supporting surface for the cosmetics in use, and a mirrored cover for the case opening to a position suitable for observance of the makeup operation when the case is in the use position.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a vanity or make-up case ofthe character indicated which is simply constructed and presents a compact assembly having the various parts superposed or nested when not in position for use, so that the case servesl also as an attractive shoulder bag for carrying make-up articles.

The foregoing andV other objects, features and advantages hereof will become apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments, while the new features of constructionA and operation which we claim as our invention will be set forth more particularly in the 2. appended` claims. The detailed descriptionrefers to the' accompanyingA drawings which formy a part' hereof' and'in which:

Fig'. l is a perspective :view'of anillustrative embodiment' of: the invention shown lin condi;- t-ion `for carrying cosmetics or make-up articles;

Fig; 2 is agperspectiye View of theembodiment of Figrl, butshown with Athe variousjparts--thereof extendedto their positions for use;

Fig.` 3 is a-vertical, longitudinal; sectional-view; on an enlarged'scale, of -the` embodiment; in Vthev condition illustratedj in Fig. 1,l and: taken -along the line 3-3^of Fig. 4f;

Fig: 4 is a vertical;transverse,-sectiona1 View takeny alongt-he line `lt-t of- Fig: 3;

Fig. 5 is an explodedyperspective View; on agreatly venlarged scale, of elements includedflin theY embodiment vof* Figs. 1 and? 2;

Fig; 6 is a vertical, transverse,4 sectional-view, similar-to thatfofgli'g:l 4; butiwith certainor-the membersin t-heir'extended'n position;

Fig. 7;' is a vertical; transverse, sectional View, similar' to 'thatof'Figf 4, ofU anotherillustrative embodiment of the 'invention-r Fi'g.- 8; is a sectional-view similar to Fig-,7; but showing the vpartsl intheireextendedpositions s Y Fig: 9l is a longii,;udinal,` vertical,l sectional View taken faelongAtheeline'Q-S ofv Fig. 8; and- Y Fig. 10-is-a sectional-view, on an enlarged scale, taken along the line Ill-IU of Fig-7;

Referring' to the drawingsgand initially to Figs. 1` through 6i thereof,v a vanity-0r makeup case embodying the present invention is there shown', and is generally indicated: .by the` reference 'numeral H31 As appears from thev drawings; the case lil-includes, as its 'major elements, a container Itter-receiving thecosmetics and'h other male-,up articles;` a cover IZffor the container whichcpens to Va position at the front of the latter (Fig. 2), a strap l3secured to the'l conf tainervv H for supporting the latter from the, users body rinv a manner hereinafter described, and a device `Mcarried 4by the container I,| to extend rearwardly fromthe latter Yfor providing ,3,5111;f porting shelf for the cosmetics when they are, in use and for spacing the container forwardly from, theusersI body so, that a mirror carried bYQOYeI. l-2 is positioned for observance therein of aI makef up operation.

The container lH is preferably ybox-like in forrn and includes a front wall' I5', a rear wall Hi` and opposite side vwalls I1' and I Container ll. further includes spaced doublebottomwalls-.IB and' 20`v (Figs. 3, 4 and 6) to provide ahousing 1I.. for v receiving thev specific device i4 o f this ernbodiment of the invention, and suitable partitions extending upwardly from bottom wall I9 to divide the container into compartments for receiving the jars, bottles or other packages and articles of make-up. As seen in Figs. 4 and 6, rear wall I6 terminates at its lower edge just below bottom wall I9 so that the housing 2|, defined by the bottom walls and by the lower portions of the front and side walls, opens rearwardly.

The device I4, fitting into housing 2I when in its stored position (Figs. 1, 3 and 4), includes a shelf member 22 slidable in the housing and capable of being extended therefrom to an active position (Figs. 2 and 6) to provide a supporting surface for holding the cosmetics while the latter are in use. The shelf member is preferably provided with a marginal upstanding rim, imparting a tray-like character thereto, so that the make-up articles are retained on the supporting surface. s

In the illustrated embodiment, shelf member 22 is specifically constructed in the form of a drawer having side rails or members 23 which are joined together at their outer ends by a drawer front 24 and adjacent their inner ends by a cross-piece 25. The drawer front 24 forms a continuation of rear wall I6 when the drawer is stored within housing 2I (Fi-gs. 1 and 4) and may overhang the rear edge of bottom wall (Fig. 4) so that a recess 26 formed in the latter permits easy gripping of the lower edge of drawer front 24 for withdrawing the shelf 22 from the housing. A bottom 2l is secured in the frame provided by the drawer front, side rails and crosspiece and is spaced downwardly from the top edges of the frame so that the latter forms the upstanding marginal rim heretofore mentioned. The drawer bottom 21 is also spaced upwardly from the lower edges of the drawer front, side rails and cross-piece so that the drawer is provided with a recess 28 in its lower surface within which a spacing member 29, hereinafter described in detail, may be nested. As seen in Figs. 4 and 6, cross-piece 25 of the drawer structure is spaced from the inner ends of side rails 23 so that portions of the latter remain in housing 2I to support the drawer when it is withdrawn or extended (Fig. 6) to expose the entire drawer bottom.

The shelf or drawer 22 is preferably provided with devices for limiting the Withdrawal thereof from the housing and for holding it in the extended position of Figs. 2 and 6. In the illustrated embodiment, these devices consist of oppositely directed cantilever spring members 30 and 3l, extending from the top of each of the side rails 23, and bearing against the lower surface of bottom wall I9 when the drawer is in a stored position within the housing (Fig. 4) to frictionally hold the drawer within housing 2| and to take up the looseness of the fit of the drawer in the housing. As seen in Fig. 6, spring members 30 abut against the outer surface of rear wall I6, when the drawer is in its extended position, to resist movement of the drawer into housing 2|. Spring members 30 are released by depressing them into recesses formed in the top surface of the side rails to clear the lower edge of rear wall I6. The spring members 3| move against the rear surface of rear wall I6 when the drawer is in its extended position (Fig. 6) and prevent further withdrawal thereof.

The supporting strap I3 is preferably of twopiece construction, with the sections connected by a suitable buckle to permit adjustment of the effective length of the strap, and is connected at its opposite ends to the side walls of container I I. When the container is in the condition shown in Fig. 1, strap I3 may be extended over the users shoulder and the case then serves as an attractive shoulder bag for carrying make-up articles. In using the make-up case to assist in performing make-up operations, the strap I3 is extended around the users neck to support the container at the front of the users body and the drawer 22 is withdrawn from the housing 2I to extend from the container toward the users body for providing a supporting shelf for the articles in use.

In order to space the drawer 22 forwardly from the users body to prevent soiling of her wearing apparel by the cosmetics disposed thereon and to dispose the drawer and container in a position for use which is accessible to the users hands, the spacing member 29, preferably formed of a U-shaped bail, is pivoted at its ends on the drawer 22 to swing between a stored position (Fig. 4) nested in the recess 28 and an active or extended position (Figs. 2 and 6) projecting rearwardly beyond the drawer front to bear against the users body.

The cross-member of the bail may be cushioned by a rubber tube 32 extending thereabout, and suitable means are provided for selectively retaining the bail in either the stored or extended position thereof. In Fig. 5 the structural details of such suitable retaining means are illustrated and are shown to include an apertured disc 33 which is fixed to the inner side of each of the side rails 23 and is formed with a radial notch 34. The bail forming the spacing member is provided with an outwardly extending pivot pin 35, xed to a flattened end portion, which is urged by the resilience of the bail into the aperture of the related disc 33. The flattened end portion is also provided with angularly spaced apart lugs or detents 36 and 31 which selectively engage in the notch 34 of the disc to hold the bail in either its stored or extended position, respectively.

A mirror 38 is fixed Within the cover member I2 for the container, and cover member I2 is pivoted or hinged on front wall I5 of the container to move to an open position at the front of the latter (Fig. 2). With the cover in such open position and the container supported in the position for use at the front of, and spaced from the users body, mirror 38 in the cover is in position for observance of a make-up operation.

The movement of cover member I2 in the opening direction may be limited by conventional arcuate, slotted links 39 pivoted at one end to the cover and receiving pins fixed to the insides of the side walls of the container.

Finally, a suitable conventional lock 40 has its separable parts carried by the rear wall I6 and the cover I2 for holding the latter in the closed position (Fig. 1).

In Figs. 7 through 10 another embodiment of the invention is illustrated wherein the member forming the supporting shelf or tray for the cosmetics or other make-up articles in use is hinged or pivoted on the bottom of the container to swing to its rearwardly extending active position, rather than being in the form of a drawer received in a housing at the bottom of the container, as in the embodiment previously described.

In this second embodiment, the vanity or make-up case includes a container 4I for the cosmetics-.having a couerr-miembnzl 2,.'i'flttingathe open top;:thereotrl.aandnrprovidedfswtthraxmirror 38 fixed therein to swing to an-aopenf position atthe. front; of the .containerzFigi a8);-A asf in' :the rst .embodiment, a supportingv '1strap.,..l 3 secured to thersideszofi.thescontainenfor support# ing the. latter;v from :the users bodyi at .the front thereof; a .shelfmember-:42' hinged towthe bote tom. of container.- .4 I! ate-.the rearI of :the latter 'to swing-between a` stored posi-tion-.againstfthelbottom of the container-andan-ac-tive position-:extending-rearwardly ,therefrom-,aand va. -spacing member.: 29', similar-v to' the.` spacing. member- 29 previously described; 1 pivoted .on l shelf?` member l2 4f01- swingngfromea .posi-tion -nestedrwithin the' latter. to a .position-.extending-rearwardly therefrom' to bear. againstf thefusers-bodyaand dispose the assembly in-.itsuse positions:

As seen-in Figs, -7 and 8, Acontainerrd |.-.-is formed bysa front wall -43,-a rear-.wall 44;?side-Wallsi45 and a bottomi which maybe spaced-upwardly fromthe bottomedgesof .-the wallsto provide-a shallow recess.- Suitable.A partitions .-.fdividef -the container -into-` the desired compartments. x

The shelf member 42 is shaped fto. tfag-ainst the-bottom yof-container-.IH (Fig. 7) to thereby form a continuationf-.ofcthe latter when in its stored position and is mounted at its rear edge on the container--by hinges-41. The shelf member 42 .is formed with a marginal rim 48, extending Ydownwardly as `viewed 'in 'Figc Y 7, and with a recess 49, in its top as viewed-in Fig; '7, to receive' the. .1- spacinge.. member.. 29. When shelfmember 42 is pivoted. to its active, rear- Wardlyextending position. (Fig. 8) rim-.48.` Vimparts a tray-like cOngurationtothe upper surface to retain the articles placed thereom Spacing-member 29"is1pivoted at its .endsbn thesides .of the recess 49.and.i`s .selectivelyiheld in its nested position (Figi 7) or extended position (Fig. 8) by suitable mechanism, such as the arrangement described in connection with the first embodiment (Fig. 5). When spacing member 29 is extended (Fig. 8) to bear against the users body it displaces the container and shelf member forwardly to the position for use so that the user may observe a make-up operation in the mirror in the open cover and so that the tray is easily accessible to her hands.

The shelf member 42 may be held in its closed or stored position (Fig. 7) by any suitable latch or similar device, but it is desired to use the simple arrangement detailed in Fig. 10. This arrangement includes a pin 50 carried by the shelf member to extend into a recess 5| formed in the lower edge of front wall 43 and formed with a ball on its end to be resiliently gripped between the arms of a spring clip 52 secured in the recess. The engagement of the spacing member carried by the shelf member with the users body holds the shelf member in its substantially horizontal, extended position (Fig. 8) and no additional device need be provided for that purpose.

From the above, it is apparent that a vanity or make-up case embodying the present invention affords an attractive and compact case which serves as a shoulder bag for carrying make-up articles, when in the condition illustrated in Fig. 1, and which, when supported in the position for use in front of, and spaced from the users body, provides a surface accessible to the users hands upon which the cosmetics or other articles in use may conveniently be placed and a mirror held in a position for observance of a make-up operation thus completely freeing the users hands to 6 attend;l tcsthe' applicationf cfs fthegmakei-:tipj or. coef.'- met-iosa.

Itwill bel-further apparent that-the new fea.:- tures.; combinations and: arrangements of. e parts herein set :forth are not-restricted to-= the detailsl of the n illustrated-embodimentsi but mays bei em bodied-in other 'forms ofi construction 'within'- fthe scope y-of -the appended-claims;-

1. .A make-up case-comprising. a anormaliy closed tboxfxhaving an rropenabl'e cover Zand- -forma ingr a container forA make-up. articles, -mea-ns exf-f tending from said: :box-.for supporting-gthe. latter yfromizanlippen-part of a user-s body` and.I further meansfextensibleifrom'ithexbox'to engage a lower part of the users body and thus space Athe box in'frontV thereof a -positionzmaking :the: con tents iofr-l the.` container accessible -r to the; :users hands when the-coveris open-,zandamirrorzcm ried .byisaid box .positionable-.bythetopencover so .that the user-cart observe-a make-up operation wherrthe` box is infsaid position.:

2. A make-up casecomprising. a containerxfor make-upzfarticles; a supporting stra-p extending from ,.saidcontainer -and'fengageable-around: `:the users' neck to support:saidcontainerfat the'xfront of-the usersbodygia device `for spaci-ngsaidfcontainere forwardly-from .thelusers body' to' a position- -for use including-'1a shelf-member carried by said=- ycontainer to `rextend--.rearwardlyfrom. thelatter, and a mirrorfmounted .on-rsaid-.confr tainerpositionable `so thatithesusen can observefa make-up Aoperation when. the container: is zinv said position.

3..A make-up ,case comprisinga containerfor make-upgarticlea-a supporting. memberextend-A ing from 'saidcontainer: andengageable aboutfanupperpart of -theffuser-s body tosu-pport said container at-.the frontV of the-users body.,;a shelf- .membercarried by.=.said container. to extend rearwardly from the latter, means extensible from said shelf member to bear against the users body for spacing said shelf member and said container forwardly to a position for use, and a mirror mounted on said container positionable so that the user can observe a make-up operation when the container is in said position.

4. A make-up case comprising a container for make-up articles, a supporting member on said container to extend about an upper part of the users body for supporting the container at the front of the users body, a device for spacing the container forwardly from the users body in a position for use so that contents of said container are accessible to the users hands including a tray member carried by said container to extend rearwardly from the latter for supporting the make-up articles during their use and a spacing member carried by said tray member to extend against the users body, and a mirrored cover for said container movable to an open position at the front of the latter so that the user may observe a make-up operation when the container is in said position for use.

5. A make-up case comprising a container for make-up articles; a supporting member on said container to extend-about an upper part of the users body for supporting the container at the front of the users body; a device for spacing the container forwardly from the users body in a position for use so that contents of said container are accessible to the users hands including a tray member movably carried by said container for displacement from a stored position within the vertical projection of the container to an extended position at the rear of the latter to provide a supporting surface for the make-up articles during their use, and a spacing member pivoted on said tray member to nest within the latter in one pivoted position and to extend rearwardly from the tray member in another pivoted position for contact with the users body to space the shelf member forwardly and dispose said container in said position for use; and a mirrored cover hinged on said container and movable to an open position at the front of the latter so that the user can observe a make-up operation when the container is in said position for use.

6. A make-up case according to claim 5, including means for retaining said tray member in said stored position,

7. A make-up case according to claim 5, including releasable means for retaining said tray member in said extended position.

8. A make-up case according to claim 5, including yieldable means for selectively retaining said spacing member in its nested position and in said other pivoted position.

9. A make-up case comprising a container for make-up articles, a supporting strap on said container to extend around the users neck for supporting the container at the front of the users body, a drawer slidable in said container and extensible rearwardly from the latter to provide a supporting surface for the make-up articles during their use, a spacing member pivoted on said drawer to nest in the bottom of the latter in one pivoted position and to extend rearwardly from the drawer in another pivoted position for contact with the users body for spacing the drawer and container forwardly in a position for use so that contents of said container and articles placed on said supporting surface are accessible to the users hands, and a mirrored cover hinged on said container movable to an open position at the iront of the latter so that the user can observe a make-up operation when the container is in said use position.

10. A make-up case comprising a container for make-up articles, a supporting strap on said container to extend around the users neck for supporting the container at the front of the users body, a tray member pivoted on said container to swing from a stored position against the bottom of said container to an active position extending rearwardly from the container for providing a supporting surface for make-up articles during their use, a spacing member pivoted on said tray member to nest in the latter when in said stored position and to extend rearwardly from said tray member when the latter is in said active position for spacing the tray member and container forwardly from the users body in a position for use so that contents of said container and articles on said supporting surface are accessible to the users hands, and a mirrored cover hinged on said container and movable to an open position at the front of the latter so that the user can observe a make-up operation when said container is in said use position.

HORTENSE B. GREEN. SYLVIA B. GAINES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,443,858 Windecker Jan. 30, 1923 1,992,523 Dupret Feb. 26, 1935 2,180,151 Koeller Nov. 14, 1939 2,312,608 Wadsack Mar. 2, 1943 2,530,231 Detweiler Nov. 14, 1950 

